Football is one of the popular games in India. In fact, it ranked 3rd in the list of most popular sports regarding players' participation and television viewing. In 2019, India bid to host the FIFA U-20 World Cup, but Poland won the bidding. As of the current ranking, the Indian football team is on the 104th rank on the FIFA table.
India has the best football players in the world. These players are popular in India and other parts of the world, especially football fans. In this article, we will give you our top list of some of the best football players in India. However, you have to remember that each player has their strengths and weaknesses. The list of the best football players we mentioned here is based on their track record and performance. There could be emerging football players that carve their mark not only in India but in the entire world.
Here are the names that made in our top list of best football players in India:
Sunil is a center-forward and the captain of the national football team of India. Sunil Chhetri has scored 80 goals for India, making him the second-highest goalscorer in the world. He is also a crowd favorite because of his build. He is one of the fittest players in India. He came from a low middle-class family but was able to improve his family's situation because of football. His fame and fortune have made him one of the most sought-after football players globally. He has millions of social media followers, and many are on the lookout for his presence just to have a glimpse of him and, if fortunate enough, can have his autograph. His exceptional track record in football matches was recognized as he became the Asian icon in 2018. Prior to that, he received an Arjuna award in 2011, and in 2019, the prestigious Padma Shri Award.
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is the first Indian player who made it in the UEFA Europe League. His ground position is a goalkeeper and currently a member of Bengaluru FC. His love and expertise in football were rooted in his love for sports at an early age. He was only eight years old when he started training in football. His skills in football were further enhanced as he enrolled with the Stephen Academy in 2000. His very first international match was against the football team of Iran in 2009. In 2016, he became India's captain of the football team and went on to an international football match against the team of Puerto Rico.
If you are fond of football in India, you probably know Vivek Gulati, one of the greatest football players. Well, Sandesh Jhingan happened to be his brother. It probably is in the genes, right? Sandesh Jhingan's formal training in football was in Stephen Academy, which Sandesh vocally recognized, owing most of his success to his early training at the academy. His ground position is a defender of the Indian National Football Team. He is an active member of one of the prestigious football clubs in India, the ATK Mohun Bagan FC.
Jakichand Singh is a midfielder of the national football team of India. He had played for various teams such as Pune but currently playing for Mumbai FC. Fondly called by his peers Jaki, has his first international debut in 2015. He was a part of the national team fighting against the football team of Nepal. We included him in our elite list because he is one of the few football players that does not receive a yellow or red card in his 18 matches – such a stellar record for a football player.
Rahul holds a ground position of a defender. In 2011, he officially started his professional career in football, but it was in 2019 when he finally made it to international football matches. He represented India's national football team countless times and has also played for Bengaluru FC.
India's love for football is truly evident, not only by the number of exceptional football players in India but also in the likings of people to football-related activities such as placing bets on football matches. Today, there are popular betting sites for Indian football fans. These betting sites are located outside India's jurisdiction but are very welcoming to Indian punters. They enable football fans in India to participate in sports betting activities and give them the chance to win real cash. All it takes to begin online betting is signing up for an account with a licensed and registered online betting site. Deposit real cash and keep track of the team's performance and update so you can come up with an intelligent bet.
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